The present invention generally relates to a lacrosse head for attachment to a lacrosse handle, and more particularly to a lacrosse head including regions marked with measurement indicia.
Conventional lacrosse heads are constructed of an open frame having a ball stop joined with a base, a pair of sidewalls that diverge from the ball stop, and a scoop that connects the sidewalls, opposite the ball stop. The frame has string holes to secure a lacrosse net around the back side of the frame, leaving the opposing side of the frame open for catching or shooting a lacrosse ball. The lacrosse frame is attached to a handle by a throat that projects rearwardly from the base, with a socket formed in the base for attachment to a handle.
To maximize ball retention in the lacrosse head, many head designs incorporate sidewalls that are generally narrowly spaced from one another. Some head sidewalls are specifically flared or otherwise configured to further maximize ball retention and shot accuracy.
In 2007, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) Men's Lacrosse Committee sought ways to address alleged safety concerns in the sport of lacrosse via the design of lacrosse heads. Many committee members believed that the dimensions of conventional lacrosse head designs did not allow the lacrosse ball to come out of head easily enough. As a result, players allegedly slashed and cross-checked other players' lacrosse sticks harder in an effort to dislodge the ball and create turnovers.
In response to these concerns, the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Committee proposed rule changes that would require the lacrosse heads to dimensioned to allow the lacrosse ball to come out of the head more easily, thereby reducing both the frequency and force of contact in the game. These rule changes are tentatively scheduled to go into effect in 2010 and will be enforced in all NCAA Men's lacrosse competition.
One of the proposed 2010 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Rules (referred to as the “Proposed Rules” herein), and in particular, Rule 1.17, addresses the minimum dimensional measurements between various portions of the sidewalls measured at a specific distance from the throat of the lacrosse head. Specifically, at distances of 1.25 and 3 inches, respectively, from the throat, and particularly the inner surface of the ball stop, the minimum distance between the sidewalls is 3 inches when measured between the front of opposing sidewalls (i.e., at the ball receiving side) and 3 inches when measured between the rear surfaces of the sidewalls (i.e., at the ball retaining side). At a distance of 5.0 inches from the throat, the minimum distance is 4.0 inches when measured between the front surfaces of the sidewalls (i.e., at the ball receiving side) and 3.5 inches when measured between the rear surfaces of the sidewalls (i.e., at the ball retaining side). Finally, the minimum distance at the widest point between the sidewalls is 6.5 inches on the front surfaces of the sidewalls, and 6.0 inches on the rear surfaces of the sidewalls.
The NCAA Men's Lacrosse Committee believes that the Proposed Rules will decrease ball retention during play. The Proposed Rules will also prohibit the use of currently legal head designs in NCAA competition. Although the Proposed Rules will help protect players against injury, players will continue to seek lacrosse heads which maximize ball retention while conforming to the new proposed NCAA rules. Therefore, lacrosse head designers face the challenge of constructing a head that conforms to the proposed 2010 NCAA dimensional measurements while still maximizing the ball retention for the player.
Under the Proposed Rules, game officials will determine the precise locations on a lacrosse head to take the prescribed measurements and evaluate compliance with the Proposed Rules via those measurements. To do so, an official will simultaneously measure the distance from the throat to establish the locations of measurement, as well as the distance between the sidewalls at those locations of measurement. The official will likely be challenged in taking these measurements, as they are at right angles to one another—in turn, this may lead to uncertainty in determining whether a lacrosse head complies with the Proposed Rules.